Chicago Fair Trade to Host Weeklong World Fair Trade Day Celebration

Chicago Fair Trade Museum-themed cookies baked by the winner of last year’s Fair Trade Bake Off competition.

Chicago Fair Trade Museum-themed cookies baked by the winner of last year’s Fair Trade Bake Off competition. Photo credit Bernadette Aguilar.

Each May, tens of thousands of people in more than 100 countries celebrate World Fair Trade Day. This annual celebration, always held on the second Saturday of May, raises awareness of fair trade—a business model that guarantees fair wages, decent working conditions and sustainable production—while showcasing the important role that we as consumers can play in creating a more equitable world.

For 18 years, Chicago Fair Trade (CFT) has hosted the largest World Fair Trade Day celebration in the U.S. This year, CFT is taking it to the next level with its 2024 theme, Chicago: The Fairest City of Them All—a weeklong series of events kicking off with a Fair Trade Makers Market on May 11 celebrating Chicago’s rich heritage in the labor rights movement and the city’s vibrant local fair trade community.

Throughout the week, CFT will showcase many of the outstanding local businesses and initiatives that make Chicago a truly great fair trade city.

For more information, visit ChicagoFairTrade.org.

Whitney Young High School’s Fair Trade Coffee Café

Chicago's Whitney Young High School Students Practice Fair Trade Activism

Chicago Public Schools Whitney Young High School Fair Trade Club recently opened a coffee shop with help from Metropolis Coffee and Chicago Fair Trade. They sell Metropolis fair trade coffee and tea, plus fair trade hot chocolate to students and will donate any profits to mental health and workers rights organizations. Read More »

Chicago Fair Trade Fundraiser

This event will honor WorldFinds and Nasreen Sheikh. All proceeds support Chicago Fair Trade to empower tens of thousands of low-income and marginalized workers, artisans and farmers from around the world to achieve a fulfilling and sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families. Read More »

National Thrift Shop Day flyer with a person rummaging through clothes and some cartoon drawings of clothes

National Thrift Shop Day Celebration and Panel Discussion

The Chicago Conscious Closet Club will be celebrating National Thrift Shop Day with a panel discussion from 7 to 8 p.m., August 17, featuring some of their favorite local thrifters. Read More »

Cartoon style shops in a town

The Worst is Over – Build Back Fairer

Chicago Fair Trade is sponsoring Build Back Fairer as part of World Fair Trade Day 2021, to be observed on May 8 with a three-part challenge to educate, activate and celebrate. Read More »

Cartoon style shops in a town

The Worst is Over—Build Back Fairer

Chicago Fair Trade is sponsoring Build Back Fairer as part of World Fair Trade Day 2021 observed on May 8 with a three-part challenge to educate, activate and celebrate. Read More »

Venture Imports

Shop Small. Shop Local. Shop Early.

Supporting small business and shopping local is more important than ever in this pandemic year. Fair trade products appeal to many customers that want to buy handmade items produced ethically, sustainably and traded fairly. Chicago Fair Trade offers suggestions to support local and fair trade shopping. Read More »

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day Reimagined from Home

This online event will feature experts, activists and leaders that will educate and activate participants, and celebrate fair trade successes from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on May 6 and 7. Read More »

Chicago Fair Trade Globalfest Fundraiser

Globalfest, the 13th annual fundraiser and Chicago’s biggest fair celebration for Chicago Fair Trade, will take place from 5:30 to 9 p.m., November 15, at the National Museum of Mexican Art, in Chicago. Read More »

Giveways and Contests

Enter for A Chance to Win Free Tickets to Fair Trade Chicago's GlobalFest! Read More »

In-Print News Brief Fair Trade May 2024